Portable power cut-off saw.



W. G. LIPSOOMB. PORTABLE POWER GUT-OFF SAW. APPLICATION FILED 0011.14,1910.

1,002, 1 64, Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

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Patented Aug. 29, 1911.

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WILLIAM C. LIPSCOMB, 0F CROCKETT, TEXAS.

PORTABLE POWER CUT-OFF SAW.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 29, 1911. Applicationfiled October 14, 1910. Serial No. 587,133.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM C. LIPSCOMB, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Crockett, in the county of Houston and State ofTexas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Portable PowerCut-Off Saws, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to portable power cut-off saws adapted forcutting ofi standing trees as well as severing logs disposed at anyangle into suitable lengths.

The primary object of the invention is td provide a comparatively simpleand efiective portable power cut-ofi' saw which may be readily appliedto a standing tree or to a log lying at any angle relatively to theground surface 'or fully on the ground sur face and having positiveendless saw means for severing a tree or log and also-partiallycollapsible to reduce the same as much as possible for the purposes oftransportation.

A further object of the invention is.= to provide a portable powercut-off saw with positively acting means for holding the same in appliedposition andto prevent movement of the device after it is applied sothat the operation of the saw may become effective relatively to thetree or log as a cutting means without liability of the parts slippingand thereby avoiding breakage of the saw and the operative parts.

lVith these and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts whichwill be more fully hereinafter described and claimed in preferred form.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portable powercut-oif-saw ,em-

bodying the features of the invention andv shown applied in operativeposition to a portion of a standing tree. Fig. 2 is a side elevationof'the cut-off saw shown applied in operative position and collapsed indotted lines to illustrate the mode of applying the saw; Fig. 3 is afront end elevation of the improved portable power cut-off saw shownapplied. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the saw carriershown partiallybroken away and in section. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a portion ofthe saw carrier on an enlarged scale and particularly showing thedriving sprocket for the endless saw and also illustrating a sawtightening means, the carr 1er being broken away to, show the 1nter1orthereof. -Fig. 6' is adetail perspective new of a portion of the endlesssaw. Fig. 7 is a view in elevation showing the improved portable powercut-ofi saw applied to a log or felled tree for cutting the latter intosuitable lengths. Figs. 8 and 9 are detail views of portions of aflexible power belt used in connection with the saw.

The improved portable power cut-off saw compr'ses essentially a bed 5,.a saw carrier 6 shi ably mounted on the bed and provlded with. anendless saw 7 driven by a main sprocket 8 through the medium of aflexible power shaft 9, and a leg frame 10 hlnged to the front end ofthe bed 5 and embodying legs 11 and 12 for embracing opposite sideportions of a tree or log to support the machine in relatively to thelatter.

Incidentally the bed 5 comprises a track frame 13 at one side havingthereon parallel flanged track rails 14 engaged by horizontally disposedgrooved rollers 15 secured proper position to the under side of the mainbody of the v section with the beam or bar 16, thus forming an openingat one end of the bed to one side of the center and of suitable width topermit the said open portion of the bed to be applied over trees andlogs having various diameters. From the extension 18 of the one end ofthe bed a securing beam or bar 19 extends longitudinally and is movablyattached or hinged to the bed at one end and free at the opposite end orextremity. The free extremity of the securing beam or bar 19 is providedwith spikes 20 which cooperate with the spikes 17 by engagement with thetree trunk or log to hold the bed. firmly applied to the tree or log.The spikes 17 and 20 may all be made adjustable as to their inwardprojection, as for instance by means of set-screws, as indicated .at 21,see, Fig. 1. It is especially necessary, however, that the spikes 20carried by the beam or bar 19 be adjustable in order to obtainan openingof the greatest maximum Width for the purpose of embracing very largetrees or logs. The beam or bar 19 with its spikes 20 is adjustablethrough the medium of a small draw cable or wire 22 secured to the innerside ends thereof adjacent; to the rear hinged extremity and adapted tobe wound upon a ratchet drum or reel 23 carried within a sheating orsuitable casing 24 secured to the intersecting portions of the beam orbar 16 and the extension 18. The drum or reel 23 is operated by a crank25, as shown in detail by Fig. 1, to one side of the machine, and saidcrank is adapted to be fitted over the projecting squared end 26 of theshaft of the drum or reel. 23 to wind the cable or wire 22 and therebydraw the beam or bar 19 inwardly with sufficient tension to set up apositive penetration of the inner ends of the spikes 17 and 20relatively to the tree trunk or log to be cut.

The leg 11 forming part of the leg frame 10 is also hinged to the latterframe in a manner similar to the hiuging of the beam or bar 19 to theextension 18 so that said leg 11 may have a lateral movement impartedthereto. The leg 12 is fixed or rigid,

- and to strengthen the same a brace 27 is secured to the free extremitythereof and also to the hinged end of the leg frame 10, the leg 12intersecting an intermediate portion of the said leg frame. In the freeends of the legs 11 and 12 are spikes 28, one in each, which are adaptedto be driven into the lower portion of the tree trunk or into a log at asuitable distance from the pointof application of the spikes 17 and 20.A small draw cable or wire 29 is also secured to the inner side of theleg 11 near the hinged extremity of the latter and engages a ratchetwinding drum or reel 30 held at the intersection of the leg 12 and theend of the frame 10 within a casing or sheathing 31. The ratchet drum orreel 30 is operated by means of the crank or crank handle 25, and saiddrum or reel has the upper extremity of its shaft or axis squared andprojected through the top' of the casing or sheathin 31, as at 32. Thepurpose of the draw-cable or wire 29 is to force the leg 11 inwardly andinsure a positive engagement of the spikes 28 with opposite portions ofthe tree trunk or log, and in the application of the machine the legs 11and 12 will first be preferably applied while the parts of the machineare collapsed, as shown by Fig. 2, and the bed afterward raised to ahorizontal plane and secured through the medium of the spikes 20 and 17.The bed 5 is further supported by a prop or guard 33 hinged at its upperend to theouter side of the rail frame 13 and having a lower notched endas at 34 to fit over a spike or nail 35 driven into the tree or log.This prop or guard 33 obstructs any tendency to downward movement of thetrack frame 13, particularly when the saw carrier 6 is being shifted oris held up to the work by the operator with more or less pressure orfeeding movement.

The carrier 6 consists of a hollow frame or inclosure having aboutone-half of the same formed as a yoke or goose-neck 36 so as to providean open throat 37 across which the endless saw 7 has movement. Thedimensions of the throat 37 as formed by the yoke or goose-neck 36 willbe such as to accommodate trees and logs of very large diameter and thedimensions thereof may be varied at will. Within the carrier 6, ashereinbefore indicated, the drive sprocket 8 is mounted and is of ratherlarge diameter. The flexible shaft 9 which is employed to operate thesprocket 8 may be of any suitable length and is connected up with eithera gasolene or electric motor or with any other suitable power generatingmeans situated at a distance from the tree or log to be out. It ispreferred that-the said flexible shaft 9 be of the form shown in detailby Figs. 8 and 9 or composed of a plurality of interfitting sections 38of similar construction or each reduced at one extremity as at 39 andprovided with a socket 40 at the opposite extremity, a pin 41 connectingthe reduced end 39 of one section to the socketed end 40 of thecontiguous section, these pins being regularly inserted throughout thewhole series of sections. The saw 7 is made up'preferably of a pluralityof links 42 and 43 arranged side by side and having teeth 44 at reverseextremities, the pairs of links 42 and 43 being connected by single orintermediate links 45 each having a centrally disposed tooth 46. By thearrangement of'the teeth 44 and 46 on the several links as justspecified, an endless saw is provided simulating in itsstructure across-cut saw or an endless saw having the teeth in staggered relation.Any form of endless saw, however,

may be used in connection with the improved portable cut-01f saw andlikewise any form of flexible shaft may be employed. The saw 7 is notonly trained over the drive sprocket 8, but also over direction pulleys47, 48 and 49, the pulleys 48 and 49 being disposed in the outerextremity or arm of the yoke or goose-neck 36, as clearly shown by Fig.4. The pulleys 47 and 48 are located adjacent to the openings 50 and 51through which the saw passes across the throat 37, and said pulleys 47and 48 are each carried by a slide 52 movable in suitable guides 53 andformed with a rack-bar 54 engaged by a pinion 55, the stem 56 of thepinion pro-. jecting upwardly through the top of the carrier adjacent tothe opening 50 and also near the opening 51 in the extremity of theouter arm of the yoke or goose-neck 36 and provided ,with a turning.head 57 and a ratchet and pawl 58.

the slide 52 carrying either the direction pulley 47 or pulley 48 maybemoved outwardly or inwardly to tighten or slacken the endless saw, asmay be desired. To insure a reliable operation of the endless saw 7, thedrive sprocket 8 is grooved as at 59 and the direction pulleys 47, 48and 49 are likewise grooved so that it will be impossible for the saw tobecome disengaged from the operative parts. To facilitate movement ofthe carrier 6 and parts mounted therein including the saw 7, hand-grips60 are applied to the rear and outer side edges thereof, as clearlyshown by Fig. 1, so that the operator may stand inconvenient positionrelatively to the machine and move or feed the carrier with the saw 7 upto and properly through the tree or log. The movement of the carriertoward the tree or log to be cut is in opposition to the tension of aspring 61 secured at one end to the under intermediate portion of thebrace 27 and having a cable or wire 62 attached to its opposite end andtrained upwardly over a direction pulley 63 on the rear end of the bed 5and attached to' the under portion of the carrier. In view of thisspring 61 the carrier when released will be drawn rearwardly andretained in rearward position so that it will not interfere with theapplication of the machine to the trunk of a tree or to a log.

The hinges connecting the bed 5 and the leg frame 10, as clearly shownby Fig. 3, are composed of pairs of knuckle members 64 secured to thesaid leg frame near opposite extremities of the latter and a singleknuckle member 65 secured to the adjacent edge of the bed. The knucklemembers 64 are spaced a considerable distance and have the pintle 66mounted therein and engaged between the said members 64 by the member65, lateral play being given to the member 65 be tween the members 64 onthe pintle, or in other words, the hinges are given a lateral slidingmovement to accommodate the inachine to bends, bulges, knots, etc., onthe tree trunk. To obtain steadiness of these hinges when the machine isapplied, the knuckle members 65 of the two sets of hinges are eachprovided with a set-screw67 operative to bind against the pintle 66 andthere 6Q ground surface, the legs 11 and 12 arefirst by hold the bed andleg frame in immovable relation. In setting up or collapsing the partsof the machine the set-screw 67 will be loosened.

From the foregoing the operation will be readily understood, and inpreliminarily applying the cut-off saw or machine to a tree trunk or login any position relatively to the caused to embrace the tree trunk orlog and the spikes 28 drawn into the latter by operating the draw? cableor wire 29 through the medium of the ratchet drum or reel 30. After thespikes 28 are thus applied they serve as pivot or fulcrum means for thema chine and particularly for the bed 5 which is elevated to ahorizontal position and secured to the trunk of the tree by the spikes17 and 20, or if a log is to be cut the bed 5 is moved relatively to thelegs 11 and 12 until the saw 7 occupies a position in a plane at rightangles to the log when brought up against the surface for cuttingpurposes. During this application of the machine either to a tree trunkor a log, the carrier 6 is held back or upwardly in accordance with theposition of the bed 5 and the saw 7 will at the time be inoperative orwithout motion. The operator then moves the carrier 6 so as to bring thesaw 7 into engagement with the tree trunk or log and the flexible shaft9 is then caused to rotate by the motor to which it is attached and thesaw 7 as a result travels at a high rate of speed and performs thedesired cutting operation relatively to the tree trunk or log. Theoperator is protected against injury by the saw owing to the inclosureof the greater portion of the latter within the carrier 6 andparticularly at the portions of the carrier having the grips 60 thereon.As soon as the tree trunk or log has been cut through, the carrier 6 isreleased from feeding pressure and the spring 61 comes into play andretracts the said carrier through the medium of the cable or wire 62.The machine may be readily detached from one tree and applied to anotheror from one portion of a log which has been cut through to another partof the log where it is desired to make a further cut. The machine iscomparatively light and maybe materially reduced for convenience intransporting the same from one point to another owing to the hingedattachment of the leg frame 10. The carrier 6 may also be freely movedwithout obstruct.- ing the operation of the shaft 9 owing to theflexibility of the latter andthe open construction of the bed 5 throughwhich the said shaft projects. The flexibility of the shaft 9 alsopermits the application of the machine to a log disposed at any anglerelatively to the ground surface without interfering with the operationof the said shaft.

One of the important advantages of the present machine is that it maybearranged to have the saw cut in a horizontal plane or in a verticalplane or in other words to accommodate the position of the tree or logto be cut.

While the preferred form of the machine has been shown and described, itis obvious that many minor details of structure could be added andchanges made inv the proportions and dimensions of the several partswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. A portable power cut off saw comprismounted onthe bed and having an endless saw therein, and means for driving thesaw.

2. A portable power cut ofi saw comprising a bed with an opening thereinto embrace a tree or log and having securing means to removably hold itin applied ,position to a tree or log, a manually operative carrierfreely movable on the bed and provided with an endless saw and means foroperating said saw, and a leg frame hinged to one end of the bed andhaving legs unitedly movable in a vertical plane and provided withfastening devices therein to engage a tree or log at a distance from thebed, one of the legs being laterally adjustable independently of thevertical movement thereof. I

3. A portable power cut-ofli' saw comprising a rigid bed with an openingin the front extremity to embrace a tree or log and having securingmeans to removably hold it in applied position to a tree or log, acarrier freely slidable on the bed and provided with an endless'saw andmeans for operating said .saw including a flexible shaft which is alsomovable with the carrier, the saw being shiftable by the carrier in rearof all of the front terminals of the parts of the frame to leave theopening in the latter clear to permit the entrance thereinto of the treeor log, the bed constituting a guideway for the carrier throughout themovement of the latter, and collapsible means movably attached to oneextremity of the bed for holding said bed in appl ed position.

4. A portable power cut-ofi' saw comprising a rigid bed with an openingtherein at one side of the longitudinal center of said bed to embrace atree or log and having securing means movably attached to the extremityopposite that having the opening therein to hold the saw in removableposition relatively tothe tree or log, and a carrier freely slidable onthe bed by a manual pushing operation and having a throat over theopening'i'n the bed and an endless saw Wholly carried thereby andshiftable therewith and movable across said throat over latter, the sawbeing shiftable by the carrier fully in rear of all the front terminalsof parts of the bed at the front extremity of the latter to leave theopening in the bed clear for the entrance thereinto of the tree or log.

5. In a machine of the class specified, a bed having members carryingfastening devices, legs hinged to one end of the bed and terminallycarrying fastening devices, one of the members of the bed and one of thelegs being movably connected, mechanism for drawing the movable memberand movable leg inwardly toward the remaining member and leg to causethe fastening devices carried by the members and legs to positivelyengage a tree trunk or log, and a carrier shiftably mounted on the bedand having an endless saw movably mounted therein and partially exposedthereby.

6. In a machine of the class specified, a bed having members carryingfastening devices, legs hinged to one end of the bed and terminallycarrying fastening devices, one of the members of the bed and one of thelegs being movably connected, mechanism for drawing the movable memberand movable leg inwardly toward the remaining member and leg to causethe fastening devices carried by the members and legs to positivelyengage a tree trunk or log, and cutting means movably mounted on thebed.

7. In a portable power cut ofi" saw, a bed having hinged legs unitedlymovable to and from the bed and provided with fastening means to engagea tree or log and serving as fulcrums relatively to the bed inpositioning the latter on the tree or log, one of the legs beinglaterally movable independently of its movement to and from the bed,

a carrier freely shiftable on the bed by a manual pushing operation andhaving an endless saw movably mounted therein and l05 operativelyexposed solely at one side of the longitudinal center thereof, and aflexible shaft engaging the carrier for driving the saw and freelymovable with the said carrier.

8. In a portable power cut oil saw, a bed having means for removablysecuring the same on a tree or log, a hollow carrier provided with athroat at one extremity formed by a hollow goose neck located at oneside of 115 the longitudinal center of the carrier, the carrier bodybeing also hollow and all the sides and ends of the carrier beingclosed, the carrier being freely shiftable on the bed by a manualpushing operation exerted on the 120 portion of the body from which thegoose neck projects, a saw extending across the throat of the carrierand movable through the goose neck and hollow body thereof, the sawbeing operatively exposed solely across 125 the throat ofthe carrier andmovable over the different portions of the top of the bed with thecarrier, and means for operating the saw.

9. In a portable power cut off saw,.a bed 133 provided with means forremovably securing the same to a tree or log, and also having an openingat the front extremity thereof to receive a tree or log therein, ahollow carrier freely movable on the bed and operative by manuallyshoving the same over the bed, the said carrier having an endless sawmovable therethrough and operating means for the saw therein, thecarrier having a throat over the opening in the bed and across which thesaw movably extends and all the walls of thecarrier completely closedexcept where the saw passes outwardly from and into the same, the sawbeing movable backward and forward over the top of the bed and theopening in the latter, means on opposite sides of the throat forregulating the tension of the saw, means cooperating with the carrierfor returning it to normal position when released, and means freelyengaging and movable with the carrier for driving the saw.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand 1n presence of twosubscrlblng wltnesses.

WILLIAM C. LIPSCOMB.

WVitnesses:

J. L. WORK, J. D. SIMS, Jr.

